Using International Student Policy to Combat Discrimination: Insights from RGSU and UKCISA Research

Thomas Tran – Communities and Equality Officer, Exeter Students’ Guild

From spending almost four years in the UK, the cultural value I admire most is “fairness”. There’s a genuine sense that systems should work to benefit everyone, accounting for factors outside people’s control, such as health or background.

But as we’re seeing with the divisions in the U.S., my home country, some people view fairness as a finite resource, something to be reserved for those in their perceived “in-group”. Of course, this tendency exists in all societies. As someone who hasn’t grown up here, learning the British contexts of identity and the unfortunate, often invisible barriers around things like accent and class has felt like running into walls that everyone else can already see. I deeply empathise with those working to dismantle these barriers. Too often, they’re told those obstacles don’t exist, or worse, dismissed by those who doubt their severity.

As an international student, life here often involves navigating whether I’m seen as part of someone’s “in” or “out” group. Living in the Southwest, I’ve become familiar with a pattern: being treated coldly until people hear my American accent. As a person of colour, I sometimes assume that it’s because they believe I’m from a “non-Western” country. The most extreme example was being spoken to slowly and loudly, as though I couldn’t understand English.

I’ve also experienced more overt forms of racism: hearing peers mock “ethnic-sounding” surnames; being asked where to find “the nearest Chinese medicine shops” (I’m not Chinese); a taxi driver asking where I’m “really from” and whether “Asians celebrate Christmas”; being told “I don’t want to sit next to you” on a train; and having things shouted at me by drivers while walking down the street. This is over just four years, so I can only imagine what others face over a lifetime.

Of course, many others have had far worse experiences than mine. And I want to be clear: not everyone is discriminatory. Some of the most inclusive, supportive people I’ve met are from the UK. But with immigration often a heated topic in national debate, many of us feel a growing anxiety about belonging.

Supporting the Russell Group Students’ Unions (RGSU) collective and UKCISA on this year’s international student research has given me a deeper understanding of these shared experiences. Worryingly, the data shows that 1 in 3 international students have experienced racism in the UK. Half report struggling with their mental health, and for marginalised groups, the numbers are even higher. It was difficult to read the open-text responses, particularly those who said they had come to “accept” harassment as a normal part of life.

This shouldn’t be something any of us accepts.

That’s why the report includes a recommendation for the government to undertake a cross-departmental review into how immigration rhetoric may influence students’ sense of safety, wellbeing, and belonging, including looking closely at hate crime statistics. We believe that policymakers, by recognising the real impact of public discourse, can help create a more welcoming environment for international students.

This isn’t about placing blame. It’s about recognising the leadership role that government and indeed all national institutions can play in reinforcing fairness and promoting inclusion. The words and tone used in immigration debates matter, and they shape how people are treated in their everyday lives: in universities, at work, and in their communities.

There are some who view reducing international student numbers as a simple solution to complex problems. But our research shows that international students make enormous contributions, to the economy, yes, but also to local communities. One in five regularly volunteers in their local area. Previous studies have found they contribute over £41 billion annually to the UK.

The data reinforces what many of us already know: international students are deeply engaged and committed to the places they study and live in. When supported properly, they become lifelong ambassadors for the UK and its values.

This research also shows how international students can be part of the solution to wider societal prejudice, not just against ethnic minorities but against anyone who is seen as “different”. Protecting and enhancing their experience is about more than economics or reputation; it’s about safeguarding the value of fairness. That it is never acceptable to treat someone differently because of who they are.

International students will continue to contribute - but only if we continue to support them.